The sandwich of the month began in September at Lucchesi’s Beer Garden: Deli, Package & Parlor.
“We tried to get it started in June, but we ended up having a baby,” says Tony Lucchesi, 41. “He was born July 7th. Giovanni.”
Tony, who co-owns the business with his wife, Basma, often combines eclectic ingredients for his sammies. Like September’s offering: The Memphisto.
“It’s a take on the Monte Cristo, but it’s not quite a Monte Cristo. I’ve been on a John Prine kick lately. And he has a song, ‘The Sins of Memphisto.’ It’s Italian rye bread with blackberry jam, ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese. But it’s pressed on a panini press. When we pull it off, it’s topped with powdered sugar.”
For October, Tony will feature his I’m From Memphis sandwich. “It’s a sub roll with peanut butter, pulled pork and a half-pound hot dog, and banana honey puree. And it’s pressed on the panini press.”
As for the logic behind his sandwich-making, Tony says, “We come up with stuff randomly here and there. And, eventually, they make it on the menu.
“I’ve never considered myself a chef. But I think I’m good at flavor combinations.”
Growing up, Tony made sandwiches. “I was obsessed with bologna and mayonnaise sandwiches. Simple, thick-cut bologna, mayonnaise, and bread. I was a very plain eater when I was younger.”
But not that plain. “I used to always make just turkey and ham sandwiches. With Doritos on them.”
Then there was his “fried Spam with peanut butter sandwich on toast. Peanut butter goes oddly well with pork.”
Cooking came later. “Outside of just making sandwiches and making Kraft blue box macaroni and cheese, I didn’t start getting into a bunch of stuff until college when I had to start making stuff for myself: ‘Yeah. I’ll try this out.’”
Tony worked at Old Venice Pizza Co. while attending Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. He and his roommate also did a lot of cooking. “We would flip through random cookbooks and if we saw something we liked or something that seemed appealing, we’d give it a shot.”
Tony graduated from University of Memphis with a degree in music. “I was in a band [Antique Curtains]. And I played guitar and piano, but my concentration was in record industry operations.”
He met Basma when he began working for her dad at the old Raffe’s Deli, where he had his first gyro. Basma’s dad also introduced him to tabouli and hummus.
In 2009, Tony and Basma moved to Orange County, California, where he worked at Five Crowns, a fine dining restaurant. He credits the restaurant for teaching him “the whole concept of hitting different flavor profiles, where you have five tastes: sweet, savory, salty, sour, and tart.”
In 2012, Tony and Basma took over Lucchesi’s Beer Garden, which Basma’s parents opened in addition to the deli.
Tony began using “higher quality ingredients” in the food. “I wanted to bring people natural deli meats that had no fillers or anything.”
He also introduced his sandwiches, including the Grizzle — a panini with mayonnaise, hot sweet mustard, turkey, roast beef, pepper jack cheese, jalapeños, and bruschetta.
The Grizzle is their top-selling sandwich, but Tony says, “I think we have one of the best vegetarian sandwiches you can get in the city. It’s the Spicy Little Burger: toasted wheat bread with hummus, tabouli, a falafel burger patty, jalapeños, hot sweet mustard, and a pickled-turnips-and-beets relish.”
Tony plans to debut more of his cuisine at Lucchesi’s Beer Garden. “This winter, I think I’m going to introduce at least maybe a soup or a chili. But I think at some point in time I want to make spaghetti gravy from my grandmother’s recipe. I don’t know if I’m going to do a traditional spaghetti with gravy or if I’m going to work it into a gyro. I have not decided yet.”
It might even include an offbeat ingredient. “I’m not opposed to adding honey to anything.”
Lucchesi’s Beer Garden is at 3358 Poplar Avenue.